Heaters within or as part of motor vehicles are known. Such heaters typically use fluid such as water that is heated via heat transfer from an internal combustion, transfer of heat from the water to heater coil fins, which then transfers heat to air flowing over the fins and into a passenger compartment. Such heater units typically require a heater core with the heated fluid flowing therethrough, the heated fluid being cycled through an engine block of the vehicle. In addition, an entry hose, an exit hose and a thermostat are required to regulate the temperature and flow of fluid through the heater core.
Although such types of heater units are known and used extensively in motor vehicles having internal combustion engines, the use of such a unit with an electric vehicle requires heating of the fluid without the use or presence of an internal combustion engine. Therefore, an improved heater unit having an isolated heating fluid source for use with an electric vehicle would be desirable.